"I will sing of your love and justice; to you O Lord, I will sing praise." Psalm 101:1
I've been studying Psalm 101 lately, and you have to know a bit about this psalm's background to understand what the psalmist is getting at here. Psalm 101 is a king's pledge to rule righteously, perhaps authored by David for his son, Solomon, as Solomon prepared to inherit his father's throne.
Good leadership, godly leadership, begins with God. The king's pledge here is to govern according to God's love and justice, and at the outset, the psalmist praises God and calls on him for help. A wise man because only God can dispense love and justice perfectly and while we may aspire to such perfection, it comes only through the power of the Holy Spirit and Christ's blood, shed for our forgiveness. Forgiveness which we need daily.
How is your pledge to "govern" in love and justice? Luther says that at the very start of this psalm, David is giving praise and thanks to God for a good organization, pious servants around him at home and "at court" (we'd say at work). Have you given God thanks lately for your organization, faithful teammates at home and in ministry? Have you praised God for his perfect love and justice, asking him to bless you and enable you with the same?
Good. Then you are all set.
No? Folks aren't singing your praises for the good and faithful leadership you provide? They question you at school and at home? Others think that they could do better? You're kidding me, aren't you?
Luther anticipated this, and in his explanation to Psalm 101:1, he put it this way: "That's the way it goes in the world; nobody thinks he is too clumsy or inept. If he were in the government (or held the office of principal...or were in charge), he would do splendidly. (Unlike you!) He is dissatisfied with anything done by others in government (or you). He is like that servant in the comedy of Terence who expresses the wish: 'Ah, I should have become king!'"
Luther says, "Those are the Meister klugling (Master Smart Alecks) who are so clever that they can bridle a steed in its hind end (pardon Luther's German). All they can do is condemn other people and to improve upon them. (Then) when they do get control of things, they ruin everything. It is as the saying goes: 'Whoever watches the game knows best how to do it.'"
Sometimes I think that Luther may have belonged to a Lutheran church. Read those last few lines above again. You are not one who sits on the sideline criticizing the performance of others. You are in the game, willing to take the risks.
Luther goes on... (For a while I thought of titling this posting, "Luther On Bowling.")
"They think that if they got the bowling ball in their hand, they would certainly strike twelve pins, even though there are only nine pins on the alley, until they find out that running alongside the alley...there is a gutter."
"Such people do not praise and thank God; nor do they think that such a situation is a gift of God for which they ought to pray or ask him. Rather they are presumptuous and think their reason and wisdom is so reliable that they cannot fail."
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Luther belonged to a Lutheran church...